A Turning of the Wheel
by RoherynArgo
Summary: A story of A Third Age. The story of how groups of very different people come together to save the world from total destruction.
1. The Aiel Begin

The Wheel of Time Turns and Ages come and go leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In an Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose up in the Blight, where Malkier once stood. The wind was not the beginning. For there are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was _a_ beginning.

The wind blew south and east, across Tarwin's Gap. It blew through the Niamh Pass and across the Spine of the World. It flowed into the Aiel Waste, gaining strength. It was almost strong enough to be a sand storm when it blew through a group of Maidens, whipping their veils into a frenzy and pressing their cadin'sor against their bodies.

Once, a shorter Maiden, her red hair cut shorter on top, but the tail at the back of her head thicker and longer than most, out of the typical Maiden fashion, reached out to snatch her veil before it blew away. "Nice catch, Roh," a second Maiden murmured. This Maiden had a shorter tail than the first, but again longer than normal, cut a little past her shoulders.

"Shadowfax, Roheryn," a third hissed. "Quiet, they are coming." The third, Lanra by name, motioned them to the edge of the ridge that they were sitting on. The fourth and final Maiden of the group motioned them close. She began talking with her hands. 'They are right below us. On the count of three. One' she held up one finger. 'Two' she held up a second, 'Three!' On three, she launched herself up and over the ridge edge, spear in hand. She screamed an Aiel War cry, face un veiled. The other three followed, adding their voices to the chorus, as they flew down the dune.

The two male Aiel below them turned as one, grabbing their own spears. The four Maidens ignored the one, a tall, grey eyed, dark reddish haired Far Aldazar Din. They circled the other, a slightly shorter, stocky man. Before he could lift his spear any higher, the four had their spears at his throat.

"Must you always do that?" Carin growled, hardly moving because of the spears at his throat. "Well, Puppy. If it was not so fun to play with you we wouldn't do it." Kilahn smiled sweetly.

"But I hate Maiden's Kiss," He growled vehemently. "We know." Lanra's smile matched that of her first sister. "That is why we love to play it with you, Puppy."

Carin grumbled under his breath, inarticulately. "What was that, Puppy?" Kilahn asked.

"He said that that isn't a very good reason, and he would rather not play," Caerrc, the second male Aiel said. "Carin shot him a murderous glare, as Lanra said, "Be quiet Birdie. We will play with you next." She grinned wickedly.

"If you insist on playing it, let's get started so we can get it over with faster," Carin interrupted. "You know how it goes. It is up to you and how well you can kiss as to how fast this game of Maiden's Kiss goes." Shadowfax informed him, her voice dripping with honey sweetness.

'Go ahead, Kilahn,' Roheryn signed, one hand holding her spear steady as she talked with the other hand. 'You can do us the honor of starting the game.'

"Are you ready?" Kilahn asked innocently. Carin just stared stoically ahead, out of the small ring of Maidens. "I don't believe he is," Lanra replied, just as innocently. "I didn't hear his affirmation. Did you?" she turned to the other two Maidens. Shadowfax and Roheryn shood their heads, matching grins spreading across the faces of another pair of first sisters. "No, I don't believe I heard him agree," Roheryn said blandly.

Kilahn looked blandly at Carin, blinking. The other three joined her, creating a ring of stares around Carin. Caerrc stood nearby, one arm crossed across his chest, the other propped on his wrist, his hand over his face and mouth to hold in his laughter.

"What was that, Bridie? Was that a squeak, or a squawk I heard, or would you like to play as well?" Lanra asked, looking at him over her shoulder.

"oh, no, go ahead. Don't let me interrupt," Caerrc said, waving a hand at them, his face now perfectly straight.

At that moment, Carin growled in exasperation. He seemed ready to throw his arms up in anger and defeat, but stopped just in time, obviously remembering the ring of spears. It made him look odd, like he was getting twitchy.

"So, I ask again, are you ready?" Kilahn repeated, looking at Carin.

"Only if you understand that this is under protest," he growled.

"Of course, isn't it always?" Lanra asked with a smile.

"Just start it already since I obviously can't stop you." The Maiden's burst into laughter, their spears not wavering an inch. Carin growled, not saying an words, just making a noise deep in his throat.

Kilahn smiled at him. Then with a quick movement, she leaned in, to kiss him. He blinked in surprise, then he looked down, cross eyed at the spear that was suddenly closer to his throat.

"Now, Puppy, what should every other time that we've played this game taught you?" Lanra asked in a sweet tone. His glare was interrupted when Lanra moved in for the next kiss.

The game continues this way for a while, kisses from the Maidens interspersed with glares from Carin, small comments Caerrc, and everything from warnings, advice on playing Maiden's Kiss, hints, tips, tricks, and fits of giggles from the four Maidens.

Just as Kilahn was taking down her spear, which happened to be the final one at Carin's neck, a Brother of the Eagle appeared. He trotted over a dune, right to Caerrc. Pulling him away from the others, the new Brother of the Eagle whispered furiously in his ear. Then, he broke away, and the second Brother of the Eagle trotted off, waving over his shoulder, as Caerrc returned to the group.

Disclaimer:

This one doesn't own Wheel of Time, or the races or ideas contained therein...

'though this one did have a hand in making up these particular charries, along with friend.


	2. Haiontea Enter

"What was that about?" Roheryn, curious even for a Maiden asked. "The wetlanders," Caerrc replied. "The one they call the 'Dragon' now wields Callandor, the 'Sword that is not a Sword.' But that is the small news. The stone, which has never been breached, has been brought low. It has fallen." Caerrc did not even need to specify which Stone, for the Aiel knew the prophecies well. Aiel prophecy says _When the Stone of Tear falls, we will leave the Three-Fold Land at last. It says we will be changed and find again what was ours and was lost._

They knew that he meant the Stone of Tear.

--

Across the Aiel Waste, over the Spine of the world and into what the Aiel would call the Wet Lands was the island city of Tar Valon. The tall, white spire of the White Tower of Tar Valon, the home of t he Aes Sedai, and their leader, the Amyrlin Seat, the Flame of Tar Valon, leader of the Aes Sedai. She lived and worked in this tower, along with any other Aes Sedai who were not out and about, and the Novices and Accepted who were too few and far between but were being trained to become Aes Sedai. The Tower of Tar Valon stood out high above the city, light glinting off of it. The seven bridges of Tar Valon, the only ways on to the island city glinted in the light. They were made of a strange material, that no one in living memory knew what it was, or how it was made. Opaque, shiny, and very delicate looking it was none the less strong and solid.

But, deep beneath the Tower of Tar Valon, in the bowels of the White Tower, three women were unaware of the sun, or what was going on above them. The first, with shoulder length brown hair, wore a red dress. "Did you two hear?" she asked. "No, Cyn'nah, what are you referring to?" the second, a taller blonde in a green dress replied.

"You didn't hear about the Dragon?" Cyn'nah looked confused, then amazed. "I thought the whole tower had heard. Or maybe they were just telling Reds. That must have been it. Unless you heard, Nyappy?" she turned to the third, a shorter, black haired, darker complexioned woman in brown. Nyappy shook her head. "No, I didn't. Then again, I am a brown." She said the last word almost scornfully. "So dead to the world and that which is not written in books that I wouldn't notice a False Dragon if he walked up and smacked me on the face." She smirked, clearly enjoying the act she put on, and how it caused the rest of the White Tower to misconceive her.

"Must have only been for you, male channeler hunting Reds," the blonde shrugged. "Well, then, it's good that I'm a Red." She too put a note of scorn into her voice when speaking about the Ajah that she 'belonged' to. For truthfully, none of them were really a member of said Ajahs. They were Blacks. Members of the Black Ajah, and more specifically, Haiontea, an elite group of Black Aes Sedai, who's 

main purpose was to eventually gain enough power to over throw the seven 'real' Ajahs, and become the ruling power, not only of the White Tower, or the island city of Tar Valon, but of the world.

"Well, that's what I'm technically supposed to be doing. Getting ready to leave with a group and set out for the Stone of Tear to capture this male channeler, so we can return him to Tar Valon and gentle him." Cyn'nah piped up. "But I decided this meeting of Haiontea was more important. You should feel honored."

"Oh, we do, we do," Nyappy assured her. "Piyoko," she turned to the blonde. "When Cyn'nah leaves,"

"Which will be soon," Cyn'nah interrupted.

"Yes, which will be soon, we have to return to our respective Ajahs. Don't let on what we've talked about here. Remember. We don't have a contact in the other Ajahs, we don't always know what's going on."

"With that, I'm leaving." Cyn'nah said. She turned away, flipping her brown hair back over her shoulder and glided out of the room.

Nyappy and Piyoko watched her go before turning back to each other and beginning to whisper earnestly.

Cyn'nah swept up through the tower and into the corridor of the Red Aes Sedai. The Halls of the Red Ajah were filled with tons of red, from the differently shaded red floor tiles, to the hangings, and the decorated pottery, statues and window hangings that coated the long, meandering hall ways.

She made her way down these halls, long red skirt swishing against the floor tiles with each gliding step, and her brown locks bouncing with the rhythm of her gait. Flowing into her room, Cyn'nah quickly threw what little she would need into a satchel. Then she moved into her bed room. Removing a narrow, divided riding skirt from her clothes cabinet, she replaced her long, flowing skirt with it. Grabbing her satchel and deftly swinging it over her shoulder she gracefully glided out of the rooms and down to the stable where the Reds who were going on this expedition were gathering.

As she walked, she descended to the ground level of the White Tower, leaving through a side door, not the large main doors. Cyn'nah's path took her through the gardens and past the training fields of the Warders. As a Red, she didn't have a Warder. Outwardly she rejected them, scorning the Bonding of a man, any man, and ridiculing those who had a, or in the case of the more distasteful Greens, multiple Warders.

But inwardly, she was jealous. At times, she wished that she hadn't chosen the Red Ajah. She wished she could have at least one Warder. Someone to help carry out her, and Haiontea's plans. Although Piyoko had more than enough for the three main members of Haiontea. Cyn'nah wanted a strong Warder so that she could act more daintily, much more frail and weaker sometimes, or not so strong if the situation demanded.

Cyn'nah strode past the field, to the stable. The horses were saddled and patiently waiting for their riders. Cyn'nah walked down the aisle to her small bay mare. "Ready to go, Hioshy?" she asked. The mare snorted, sticking her nose into Cyn'nah's hands. Slipping into the stall, she patted the mare, slipping her bridle over Hioshy's head.

After leading the mare out and into the stable courtyard, she then swung into the saddle, looking around at the others gathered. The final few places of the group were filling up as the few final Red Sisters filed out of the stable. Once they were all mounted and settled, their packs tied on, the group of Red Sisters left the grounds of the White Tower, riding for the Stone of Tear.

Disclaimer: This one doesn't own Wheel of Time, but these particular charries are of my own making... taken from my friends, with their permission of course


End file.
